Turning Mom Guilt into Growth: An Artist's Journey with Missi Blue | Ep. 10
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
Release Date: 12/25/2024
How to Find More Local Clients with Missi Blue | Ep. 63
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"You can't do nothing and expect people to just find you and give you their money to tattoo. You either need to get on board with social media or talk to people in person—one or the other." Here's the reality: if you're crushing it at conventions but struggling to book local clients, the problem isn't oversaturation in your market. We have 14 tattoo shops within a quarter mile of Bluebird Tattoo Studio in a town of 16,000 people, and we stay consistently busy. The difference isn't luck or location, it's intention. In this episode, I'm breaking down exactly what we do differently to attract...
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Shiny Object Syndrome with Missi Blue | Ep. 62
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
I'll be honest—I've been a serial project-starter my entire career. From expanding Bluebird Tattoo Studio to opening the Bluebird Art Collective gift shop, I've chased plenty of shiny objects that pulled me away from what really mattered. This episode is about recognizing when you're spreading yourself too thin, understanding why we're wired to chase new ideas, and learning how to channel that creative energy into focused, sustainable growth. If you've ever felt like you're running in place with a dozen unfinished projects, this conversation will help you refocus on what actually moves your...
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Figure out what you want with Missi Blue | Ep. 61
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"You can wish and hope and dream for your goals, but that alone is not getting you anywhere." As we head into a new year, I'm reflecting on what worked, what didn't, and how I'm going to show up differently in 2025. This year taught me something crucial: feelings are terrible leaders. When I let how I'm feeling dictate what I do each day, nothing gets done. After recovering from a skull fracture and completely uprooting my office setup, I've been struggling to get back to my routine—and it's made me realize that the only way to win is to build systems that work regardless of how I feel. In...
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Your Complete Guide to Working Tattoo Conventions with Missi Blue | Ep. 60
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"Every convention for me is a chance to just do better, to do a better tattoo, to meet more people, to get new inspiration, to find a new opportunity. Even when it's a bad convention, it still serves a purpose." I get asked all the time for advice on doing conventions. How to prepare, what to expect, what actually works. And honestly, in the moment, I never know where to start because there are a thousand things that could make or break your experience. So I sat down and really thought through everything I've learned from years of doing conventions, and I'm sharing it all with...
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The Lonely Truth About Being the Boss in Tattooing with Missi Blue | Ep. 59
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"It's lonely being the boss. And yes, I get that I asked for this, that I did this to myself. I understand that, but why is it like this?" Missi Blue A coworker's offhand comment stopped me in my tracks recently; something about how I'm "never in a good mood" when I walk into the shop. That hurt. Not because it was entirely true, but because it highlighted something I've been carrying quietly for years: being the boss is incredibly isolating. I show up with my serious face on because I'm walking into whatever needs to be handled that day, carrying the weight so my team doesn't have to. But...
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How Fear of Failure Keeps Tattoo Artists Stuck in Place with Missi Blue | Ep. 58
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
Perfectionism isn't about high standards—it's procrastination in disguise that keeps tattoo artists from taking action on their biggest goals. Learn why waiting to feel "ready" is holding you back and how to push past fear to actually grow your career, even when things get messy. "You're never gonna feel ready. The only way to truly feel ready and confident and prepared for the things that you've already experienced and had some success with in the past." Let's talk about the elephant in the studio: perfectionism. We tell ourselves it's about having high standards, but here's...
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Sobriety, Partnerships & Finding Your Purpose with James Boag and Missi Blue | Ep. 57
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"I didn't die because of tattooing. There were days where I ran with some bad people... and I think the only reason I didn't overdose constantly was because I had appointments to go to. I had a job to show up for. I had somewhat of a purpose." - James Boag This conversation wasn't planned. James and I were trying to squeeze in a podcast recording all weekend at the Tampa convention, but life kept getting in the way. Finally, we said forget it. I grabbed the microphones and headed to the beach on Monday. What started as a casual hangout turned into one of the most honest conversations I've had...
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Building a Team That Actually Works: Lessons Learned with Missi Blue | Ep. 56
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"If I don't know the job myself, how can I train someone to be successful in it? And how can I even know if they are successful?" After letting go of my manager at Bluebird Tattoo Studio, I knew I had two choices: point fingers or take a hard look at where I went wrong. This episode is me pulling back the curtain on every mistake I made in that hiring process—from undefined roles to missing training systems to inconsistent feedback. I'm walking you through my entire mental framework for analyzing failures, taking accountability, and building better systems so this never happens again....
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When Good People Aren't the Right Fit: A Leadership Reality Check with Missi Blue | Ep. 55
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
"Sometimes failure doesn't look like falling apart. It looks like realizing you've been holding on to something for too long." I recently had to make one of the hardest calls as a business owner—letting go of someone I genuinely cared about. It forced me to face some uncomfortable truths about my leadership, my blind spots, and the standards I need to protect at Bluebird Tattoo Studio. This wasn't about them being a bad person; it was about recognizing that being good at some things doesn't mean you're right for the role. I've learned that when you ignore red flags and stay too busy...
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Working Less, Achieving More: A Tattoo Business Wake-Up Call with Missi Blue | Ep. 54
Bound By Art: A Tattoo Artist's Survival Guide
Coming back to record this episode was harder than I expected. Five weeks away from the mic after a fall that left me with a fractured temporal bone, dislocated ear bones, a concussion, and a seizure—yeah, it was a lot. But here's what nobody tells you about forced time off: sometimes the best thing that can happen to your business is being physically unable to work in it. I'm not saying you need to injure yourself to grow (please don't), but this experience revealed something crucial that I'd been avoiding for way too long. I was so deep in the day-to-day operations that I couldn't see...
info_outline"I want them to see that my success is a direct result of not giving up, putting in everything I have and am into my dream and working towards my goal. I want them to go after big dreams and know how to reach their goals." - Missi Blue
Let's get real - in this episode, I'm sharing all the ways I've both failed and succeeded at being a mom while building my tattoo career. From hiding my art from my kids (huge mistake) to finally learning how to create meaningful moments with them, I'm opening up about the messy reality of raising teenagers while running Bluebird Tattoo. If you're struggling with mom guilt or trying to balance your creative career with family life, this one's for you.
What you will learn in this episode:
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How protecting your artistic space can inadvertently create barriers with your children, and ways to mindfully include them in your creative process
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The unexpected benefits of letting your children witness your struggles, failures, and how you overcome them
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Why creating intentional routines and traditions (like Monday night cooking sessions) can build lasting connections, even with limited time
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The delicate balance between guiding your children and allowing them to discover their own creative paths
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How teaching independence and resilience can prepare children for success, even when it feels counterintuitive
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Why showing vulnerability and real emotions to your children can help them develop better communication skills
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The importance of making time for one-on-one connections with each child, even when schedules are hectic
Links:
instagram.com/tattoosbymissiblue
instagram.com/boundbyartproject
instagram.com/bluebirdtattoostudio
Music: Unknown Road - The Harp Project